Naomi Osaka acknowledges that she is experiencing a decrease in self-assurance in her performance after yet another disappointing defeat. However, she also emphasizes that she still possesses a certain level of confidence and believes that she can deliver a strong performance on the court.
On Tuesday, the former world No. 1, Osaka, who received a wildcard entry into a WTA 500 tournament in Abu Dhabi, suffered a discouraging first-round loss in the United Arab Emirates. Despite initially holding a 5-4 lead over Danielle Collins and preventing her from earning any break points in the first five service games, Osaka’s game suddenly faltered. Collins went on to win the next nine games, ultimately securing a 7-5 6-0 victory over Osaka.
Following a win against Tamara Korpatsch in her first match after pregnancy, Osaka has now experienced three consecutive losses. In light of her recent defeat, Osaka was asked if she would consider participating in a WTA 250 tournament or even qualifying events.
“I think I will complete the hard-court swing and then make a decision. While my confidence has waned, I still believe that I am capable of playing exceptional tennis,” Osaka told Reem Abulleil.
In the upcoming two weeks, the initial two WTA 1000 tournaments of the year, held in Doha and Dubai, will take place. Despite her current ranking of No. 757 in the world, Osaka will also compete in Doha by utilizing her protected ranking of No. 46 to secure entry into the tournament.
This will mark Osaka’s second appearance in Doha, her first since 2018. During her debut in 2018, Osaka reached the second round as a qualifier before being defeated by Anastasia Sevastatova.
Given that Doha falls under the WTA 1000 category, numerous top players will be participating. A strong performance in Doha could greatly boost Osaka’s confidence, but another early loss could potentially further diminish her self-assurance.